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I don't know what dojo you were at but please understand that in every art, there is an occasional school that in fact, is not very good. I would invite you to come to the ShinKiKan Dojo in Houston Texas. Maybe it will look different to you. You may even want to get on the mat. We train all the time with karate black belts and kickboxers and they seem to have good regard for us. You may find that all schools are not the same!

I agree with Bobby and Greg. This person is not worth our time responding to. It's called trolling and intentionally meant to provoke a fight. Plus we have much better threads on this site that discuss this matter ad nauseum.

Originally posted by dainippon99 chill out everyone, hes just trying to be an asshole.

True! But one must admire the great job he's doing.... .

I'm not sure Stuart went to a bad dojo - maybe he did maybe he didn't. I'm more inclined to believe that he's not able to understand what it is all about. Actually very few people are before getting their feet wet themselves. So:

I would say that you are basing your view of Aikido on a select group of practitioners without the advantage of understanding. What type of people are you observing in practice, are they avid martial artist types...dojo dogs, there whenever the door is open? Or are they simply looking at Aikido in terms of recreation or exercise. Are thier instructors also sloppy and "weak" appearing? If so that could be the root of the problem, as bad instructions creates bad students.

I have often seen college kids walking to Jeet Kune Do classes on campus...they couldn't begin to stand up to a real attack (I seriously doubt that many 'practitioners', myself included, could), but does that mean that Jeet Kune Do is ineffective and weak? Not at all, just that the representatives of the system that I have observed are.

There is really no true standard of 'measuring' a martial art of philosophy, as it transcends the abilities of it's students. I honestly believe that Aikido is the perfect martial art, which makes it that much harder on it's students as they try to learn it. It demands a 'perfect' practitioner to do it justice.

I agree the the low intensity nature of many Aikido dojos invites atypical students (I was grossly overweight for an eleven year old when I started), but measuring the worthiness of any art by its followers is folly. In that case Christianity would be viewed as the sum of the worst hypocrites, the Hippocratic Oath seen as the pledge of med school washouts, and Universities rated by the lowest student GPA's.

I'm sure that there are a lot of inneffective karateka and kickboxers, (especially now that 'cardio' kickboxing is in vogue) but a generalization of Aikido based on a few observations is worthless and shortsighted.

I fully understand how this guy feels, because I felt that way too. In fact, every once in a while, I still feel a little that way ... hmm. However, I shall persevere.

I think a major part of the problem (for me anyway) was seeing people wearing brown belts that would never (should never) be awarded that belt in another martial art - it reminded me a little of children's karate classes.

The difference now though, is that I do "get it" as so many people suggested I didn't earlier.

Stuart, it all boils down to the students in the dojo, which really boils down to the instructor.

Originally posted by Jim23 In fact, every once in a while, I still feel a little that way ... hmm. However, I shall persevere.

Well, Jim ...heh, heh, heh... the next time you get to feeling that way, come play with us here rather than just perservering. We'll cure you right away or at least provide some aches and pains to distract you.

At least no one has thrown up this week although we had a close call last night.

ok... You guy's can attack me all you want but, you know i'm right. Deep down inside that is you know.

In karate you can punch and kick although I think kick boxing is even better because you really know how to punch ( gloves) and kick a lot (you hear.. KICKboxing). In aikido you just pretend to throw and hold the other guy down on the floor (or women).

You know! A hard kick will stop you in your spin's. spin.....kick... fall.

You SAY you are better than karate or kick boxing but where's your proof, all you do is pretend with each other? I've never even seen an aikido fighter in a real match. Take off your shirt and try to fight. It will never happen right? Just a lot of talking and talking.

Hi Stuart,
I'm sorry you did not enjoy your visit to an Aikido dojo, or find anything of value to you there. As you can tell, many of us do really have a good time, and a lot of us have found more than we thought possible when we first started.
Do you mind me asking, why you chose a somewhat billigerent approach to communicating with us? Is there something we can explain or do for you?

Do you beleive in KI? I've been reading about Ki here a lot, flow your energy hard into your throws. yea right.

Try it in your kicks too and you will be invincable. SHoooooiiiiiaaaiiii!! That kick took your head off. Ki...shmi.... maybe a little more time on the kick-bag please guys to get really effective (and women). An aikido guy kicking a kick bag.....right....really?? No way in my life time.

Originally posted by Stuart ok... You guy's can attack me all you want but, you know i'm right. Deep down inside that is you know. <SNIP>

Nope. Never claimed to be better. Trained in karate and full-contact kickboxing and enjoyed them; thought they were great. Aikido is just my thing right now; think it's great too. Feel the same way about judo, jodo, iaido and several others.

But, I digress:

You say you can down aikidoka with one punch _or_ one kick. I say your mouth has made a wager that your a** can't cover.

So, in poker terms, I call. Come try me. You can find my dojo through the website in my signature.

I'll even let you have one punch _and_ one kick. You drop me, I'll give you $100; you fail for whatever reason, you give me $100.

Stuart,
You sound frustrated and angry and very much alone, not an easy place to be as a young man. You really don't have to take on the world to get attention, or try to prove anything. I think you are trying to make a statement that you like kickboxing. We got that point, on several posts. But still you keep coming back, so it must be that you are looking for something? In what way can we help you?

Whats this? An aikido guy making me a challenge. hahaha, I will fold you in half like a flag and mop the floor with you too. You don't even know me or who I am. My elbow's will hurt you badly and my knees will bend you in half!!!
You make me laugh. You want me to go to come all the way just to fight with you. hahahahaha!!! Silly worried aikido guy.

Originally posted by ca Stuart,
You sound frustrated and angry and very much alone, not an easy place to be as a young man. You really don't have to take on the world to get attention, or try to prove anything. I think you are trying to make a statement that you like kickboxing. We got that point, on several posts. But still you keep coming back, so it must be that you are looking for something? In what way can we help you?

Thanks Stu! I am an aikido black belt, and I agree, aikido has been a total failure for me. At first I thought I would learn this martial art, and get stronger, but no fights ever occured to test that hypothesis, and now I seem to find myself in some wierd attitude where no matter how strong I come on to people who are lonely angry and confused and want violence, they seem to melt away.
But it is a failure. I practice aikido not for the fights that I never have, but for the fights that I do. I fight my pride and my arrogance, but you proved me wrong. I read your mail, and felt a little pissed, a little uppity, and more than a little proud of my "superior" stance in the world. Apparently all these years of practice haven't even prepared me to roll over someone as lonely as you would seem to be. I shouldn't have any problem beating you. You are a digital nidgit, a few words and paragraphs, but here I am with my pulse racing and my ego on the tip of my tongue. I am just like those sloppy guys and gals you had the pleasure of meeting, and probably run into every day when you wake up.
Thanks for the reminder.
I hope you win the fight you're looking for.
I sincerely do.
Tom Groendal